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Headcovering in Public Worship
Fashions change and tastes differ. Cultural variations
abound among Christians of differing nationalities. The
New Testament wisely makes allowance for such things
and goes no further in matters of dress and appearance
than to set down the principles of modesty (1 Tim. 2:9) and
association—e.g., that we should be careful not to adopt
any appearance that identifies us with grossly wicked
people to whom a particular style or fashion is virtually
a badge. This latter would seem to be implicit in Paul’s
words in 1 Corinthians 11:6, where it is probable that the
shorn head refers to the mark of an harlot. Given these
two principles, and accepting that in all things a believer
is to adorn the gospel with humility and holiness, we
can usually judge fairly easily which forms of dress and
appearance are becoming to us as Christians. However,
there is one item of Christian dress that the Bible does not
leave to be judged in this way. That item is headcovering
in public worship. The New Testament insists that it is
required for women and banned for men. In this age of
so-called sexual equality—a misnomer for the philosophy
of radical feminism and anti-Christian humanism—this
may seem strange. It is not strange. The Bible lays down
these standards for very good reasons.
HEADCOVERING FOR WOMEN
Paul devotes half a chapter to the subject of headcovering
(1 Cor. 11:1-16). He gives no indication that he is establishing a
rule merely for the local situation in Corinth. He introduces such
words as shame and dishonoring the head (ultimately Christ,
v. 3). These ideas denote a moral issue of abiding significance, not
some merely local question. Paul also makes a telling reference
to the angels of God (v. 10) as a reason for a woman to cover her
head in public worship. He says that nature teaches the same
thing (v. 14). All of this strongly implies that Paul is laying down
a general rule for all Christian churches, regardless of location
or local culture. That conclusion is strengthened by what is said
in verse 4. There the apostle forbids the use of a headcovering for
men in worship. Both the Jews and the Romans had the custom
of requiring men to cover their heads in religious worship.
Clearly Paul was not addressing mere cultural questions. He
was settling what is right and proper for Christians in whatever
culture they live. We therefore take what 1 Corinthians 11
teaches as binding on us today.
In effect that settles the matter of whether or not women
should wear headcovering in church services. No reputable
exegete or commentator has the slightest doubt that Paul was
insisting on the Corinthian women having a covering on their
heads in public worship. We do not know of any Bible-believing
church that would permit its men to wear hats or caps in public
worship. Their reason is that 1 Cor. 11:4 prohibits it. No one
doubts that that prohibition is still in force. By what stretch
of exegesis or of logic can the parallel prohibition of women
worshipping bareheaded be counted a merely temporary
matter relating to the Corinthians but not to us? In the light
of Paul’s clear intention to establish a universal principle of
conduct, how can we ignore the plain teaching that Christian
women should wear a headcovering in public worship? In the
Free Presbyterian Church, we do not. We joyfully accept it.
JUDGING BY GOD’S STANDARDS
One of the reasons for women’s headcovering is the respective
roles of men and women in creation and in the church (vv. 7-8).
We must be careful not to define a person’s worth or dignity by
the godless standards of modern radical feminism or humanism.
A woman’s true dignity is in knowing and accepting the place
her Creator and Redeemer has accorded to her. The same is
true of a man. Woman’s headcovering is an eloquent testimony
to acceptance of God’s standards, not man’s. The basic principle
is laid down in verse 3: “The head of every man is Christ; and
the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is
God.” Clearly the apostle is not discussing the issue of what
the world calls “equality” or “dignity.” He is discussing the
issue of government and authority in the Christian home and
the church. Furthermore, the three clauses in verse 3 must
always be taken together. In other words, Paul is not arguing
for male authority over the woman without regard to man’s
submission to the authority of Christ. He rather is bringing
men and women to the place of submission at the feet of the
Lord. Our homes and churches would be much happier and
healthier places if we all, men and women, fully acknowledged
the Lordship of Christ and obediently served Him in the role
and capacity He has given to us.
A SYMBOL OF CHRIST’S AUTHORITY
In elaborating on this basic statement of principle (v. 3), Paul
adds another in verses 4 and 5: men who pray or prophesy
with a covering on their heads dishonor their head, even
Christ. Women who pray or prophesy without a covering on
their heads dishonor their head, the authority God has placed
over them. Here is the importance of the headcovering. To
reject it is rebellion against God’s order of government in His
church. It is as bad as a woman coming to God with a shorn
head, which was the shameful badge of the harlot (vv. 5–6).
“BECAUSE OF THE ANGELS”
There is another reason for the headcovering. It is worn as
a symbol of submission to authority “because of the angels”
(v. 10). The reference to angels reminds us that in worship we
are dealing with an unseen world and that we should order
our behavior not in accordance with the prevailing ideas of
this present evil world, but with the enduring standards of
rectitude that God has ordained. Angels are present at the
church’s worship, and they cannot dismiss inappropriate attire
as a matter of little importance. Rejection of God’s ordinance
regarding headcovering is inappropriate in the sight of angels
because it savors of rebellion against the divinely ordained
structure of authority. The angels personally witnessed the
havoc such rebellion wrought in their own ranks and in the
garden of Eden. Thus they cannot regard as unimportant any
rejection of something that God has established as necessary
to the church’s worship.
Furthermore, the angels’ very presence in our worship
services teaches some very important lessons. We may
consider two. First, it teaches us that a headcovering for
Christian women in the worship of God is not demeaning to
women. Angels are superior in rank to humans (Psa. 8:5), and
they cover themselves before the Lord (Isa. 6:2). How then
can any Christian woman look upon God’s ordinance that
she wear a headcovering as an imposition, or injurious to her
dignity? The second lesson is that we should gladly accept
every ordinance of God for our worship and service. Though
superior in rank to men, angels willingly submit themselves
to be servants of believers (Heb. 1:14). Clearly then, no
Christian woman should reject the God-ordained symbol of
her submission to His authority as an infringement of liberty
or a denial of her dignity.
ALL GLORY TO CHRIST
The real beauty of Paul’s teaching that women must, and men
must not, cover their heads in public worship is that it lays all
human glory and authority where it properly belongs: at the
feet of Christ. A woman’s hair is her glory (1 Cor. 11:15). It is
right that she should cover it in worship, for there all the glory
must be Christ’s. Men declare the same truth by not covering
their heads. To this day men remove their headcovering in
the presence of superior authority. So it is here. By different
actions, men and women join together in testifying that all
glory and honor belong to Christ.
AN OBJECTION
Some object that a woman’s “hair is given her for a covering”
(v. 15) and she needs no other. This is to fly in the face of all
Paul says. Those who believe that the covering of which he
speaks is merely the woman’s hair need only substitute hair
for the covering in verses 5 and 6 to see how meaningless and
impossible their argument is. Paul has made it clear that he is
speaking of a covering placed on the head. In verse 4 covered
literally means “having something on his head.” That is
Paul’s theme. Nature gives a woman a veil in her hair. “It is a
glory to her because it is a veil. The veil itself, therefore, must
be becoming and decorous in a woman” (Charles Hodge).
Actually, there may be an additional thought in verse 15, which
literally reads, “Her hair is given her instead of a covering.” In
this verse covering is a new word. In Hebrews 1:12 (its only other
appearance in the New Testament) it is translated “vesture.” It
signifies something thrown all around a person, and Paul
may be saying that Christian women have no need to wear
the demeaning total coverage some religions impose on
their women.
THE SOLE CHRISTIAN CUSTOM
The only proper response to a biblical teaching is joyful
acceptance and submission. If people want to contend against
us despite what 1 Corinthians 11 says, then our answer must
be the same as Paul’s: “If any man seem to be contentious, we
have no such custom, neither the churches of God” (v. 16). The
apostle ends all argument with a statement of divine authority.
He says that the churches of God have no such custom as
women engaging in public worship without a headcovering,
or men doing so with one, no matter what other groups may
think about our practice.
A JOYFUL GOSPEL TESTIMONY
In the Free Presbyterian Church we believe we should obey
God rather than men—or women! That is why we follow the
only custom on this matter that God ever established in His
church—that men should not engage in public worship with
their heads covered, and women should not do so without
their heads being covered. To us this is no legal bondage
but a joyful gospel testimony to the sole glory of Christ in
His church.
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